Vacuum feed



March 18, 1958 DIXON ETAL 2,827,290

VACUUM FEED Filed Sept. 16, 1954 IN V EN TOR5 FEEDER/CK i, Doro/v Mu /4M M, I/VOFP50/V BY imam ix;

nited rates ihis invention relates to a feeding mechanism for feeding marginally punched cards or the like, one at a time and at high speed, into a machine for punching, sorting, abulating or performing other operations incidental to e use of cards of this type.

Former feeding mechanisms for machines of this character were generally of two types. The first type was of the piclte or slicer type wherein a reciprocating picker or knife, approximately one-half the thickness of the card in height, traveled backwardly and forwardly toward away from the feed throat of the machine. On each forward stroke, the knife or picker strikes the rear edge and picks off the bottom card of the stack and pushes it. into the throat of the machine. This type of feed mechanism is capable of high speed and works well with perfectly fiat relatively stifi cards, but is unable to feed warped cards, nor can it be used to feed checks or other non-rigid paper sheets.

The second type of feed mechanism in general use is feed. Vacuum feeds employ a suction head which sucks the bottom card or paper from the stack moves it toward the throat of the machine. Timed ve means cut off the vacuum during the return moveir it of the suction head. This type of feed is very successful in feeding light non-rigid papers but, because of the intermittent air dew and because of the various timing and synchronizing mechanisms required, this type of feed mechanism must operate at speeds considerably less than feed mechanisms of the picker type.

The principal object of this invention is to provide an improved form of vacuum feed mechanism capable of feeding both rigid and non-rigid sheets at a high rate of speed.

Another object of this invention is to provide a continuous vacuum feed mechanism wherein the use of valves and timing devices therefor is eliminated.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a vacuum feed mechanism capable of feeding cards or sheets to a machine at any rate of speed within, and up to, the maximum operating speed of the machine without requiring any adjustment to the feeding mechanism.

A further object of this invention is to provide a feed mechanism capable of feeding marginally punched cards or sheets one at a time from a stack, even when such cards or checks are nested together because of curl or warp induced by atmospheric conditions or other causes.

A preferred form of the invention is described in the following detailed specification, and illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 shows a front elevation of a feed mechanism constructed in accordance with the principles of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1, showing the feeding carriage in its retracted position in full lines and in its extreme advanced position in dotdash lines.

Fig. 3 is a schematic sectional view taken generally 2,827,290 Patented Mar. 18, 1958 ice on line 33 of Fig. 2 and shows the reciprocating feed plate in its retracted or pick up position.

Fig. 4 is a similar view to Fig. 3 but shows the reciprocating feed plate in its advanced position.

Fig. 5 is a similar view to those shown in Figs. 3 and 4 and shows the feed plate in an intermediate position during its return stroke.

The feeding device disclosed herein consists of a pair of inwardly facing channel-shaped members and 11 each bolted to the front face of a machine, generally indicated at 12, adjacent the feed throat thereof by suitable fastening devices 13. The two channel-shaped members lit and if form a chute to hold a stack of record cards generally indicated at A. A vertically adjustable bar 14 is fastened to the front face of the machine 12 midway between the members 10 and 11 by a pair of bolts 15 extending through suitable slots 16 in the bar.

A flat reciprocating feed carriage 17 is mounted for horizontal reciprocating motion toward and away from the feed throat of the machine 12 by a pair of guide blocks 18 and 19 having grooves 20 and 21 formed in their respective opposed faces. The guide blocks 18 and It? are mounted to the machine 12 in any suitable manno: (not shown).

The reciprocating carriage 17 comprises a base plate 22 having its upper surface cut out, as indicated at 23, adjacent its inner edge. A relatively thin plate 24 is mounted in the cut-out section 23 and extends inwardly beyond the inner edge of the base plate 22. An upper plate 25 is secured to the upper surface of the plate 22 and to the upturned inner edge 26 of the plate 24. The plate 25 is spaced from the plate 24 and provides a transversely extending chamber 27 therebetween. The chamber 27 is connected to a suitable vacuum pump (not shown) by a hose connection 28 extending through the plate 22 and 24 and a flexible hose 29. As best seen in Fig. 2, the upper plate 25 is provided with three sets of slots 39 to permit the vacuum in chamber 27 to suck the bottom card from the stack A down against the upper surface of the plate 25. The inner edges of the plates 25 and 24 are slotted between the sets of slots 30, as indicated at 31 and 32, for purposes which will presently be described.

In order to insure that the inner edge of the bottom card in the stack A is adjacent the upper surface of the plate 25, even if the cards should be warped, three triangularly-shaped supports 25a are fastened to the upper surface of the plate 25 and extend upwardly therefrom with their widest portion adjacent the outer edge of the plate.

immediately inside the throat of the machine 12 are two transverse contra-rotating feed shafts 33 and 34. The shafts 33 and 34 are mounted equal distances above and below the plane of the upper surface of the plate 25 on the feed carriage 17. A pair of rollers 35 and 36 are each mounted on the shaft 33 in line with the slots 31 and 32, respectively. Similarly, a pair of rollers 37 and are each mounted on the shaft 34 in opposed relation to and in contact with the rollers 35 and 36, respectively. A second pair of contra-rotating shafts 39 and it: are each mounted parallel to, and spaced inwardly from, the shafts 33 and 34, respectively. The shafts 39 and ill are provided with opposed pairs of rollers in the same manner as shafts 33 and 34. One pair of said rollers is shown at i1 and 42 in Figs. 3 and 5.

In the operation of the device, the shafts 33, 34 and 39, 4d are rotated in opposite directions by the drive mechanism of the machine 12 in timed relation to the operation of the machine. The feed carriage 17 is reciprocated toward and away from the feed rollers 35, 37 by a suitable mechanism (not shown) connected to the drive mechanism of the machine 12. The throat bar & TS'is adjustedt'o'clearthe'upper surface of the plate by substantially "the width -of -one card or sheet. The stack of cards A is inserted into the top of the channelshaped .guides lfl and 11, and the air entering the slots sucks "the bdttom cardf lii down against "the "upper surface of the plate "25 in the manner shown'in 'Fig. 3. 'Flie 'feeilcari'ia'ge '17 is then reciprocatedinwardlyto the position shownin "Fig.4 wherein the 'inner edge'of the plate Z'S-fis between the "feed rollers and 36 in the marina shown in dot-dash lines in Fig. 2 The inner edge of the car d 43 is now between'the pairs of rollers 35, 37 and 36f38and'isadvanced inwardly by'said rollers andfs'trippedfro'm the 'uppen'surface -'ofthe .plate 25 as "the greed carriage "17 returns to its "outermost position. As sheen ig. f5, 'the 'card"43 "is 'advanced'from the renames, 37 andis'pickedup by the rollers 41,42 at thesairle'ti'rne'esthe SI tsBDinthe'plate '25 again come 'i'filder fhe "stack and suck 'down the next card, in ieieparafien forfeeclingsaid card totherollers 35"and 37.

From thej foregoiiigdescription 'itmay be seen that by strippipgthefcard from"theupper surface of the feed carriage fl by the nipping rescuer the'contra-rotating "pailis bree rollers 35, "37 "and36, 38, the need for offithe vacunmcl1amber"27 "iseliminated and iii'oiilalvies or iiming'mechanism for performing'this funcn"i's "required. it"may 'fur ther be 'seen that since no 'pic keror'slicerpushing against therear edge of the card being fed is used, the feed mechanism isequally able'to feed ihin sheetsor checks asfwell as relatively thick or stiflfca'r'ds. Sincetheifeed'carriagefl7 is're'ciproca'ted by, me-red-shaass;s4, 39 arid40 aremtated by the nr'drive "assembly or the machine '12 "the feed mechanismisautoinaticallyin synchronis'm with the machine =at all operating speeds of the machine 12' Without requiring adjustment. 'Whenused tofeedcardsof "different 2 'din fensionsfonly one adjustment is "required- 'in the drive "between the main drive of the machine 12 and'ithe drive for theshafts 33, 34, 39and' 40 andthe'driv'e for 'the "rehipro'cating' as'sembly '17. v

I h lWhile' we'haveshewn anddescribe'd thepreferr'ed. form o? our"in'vention,it" shou'ldbe"unde'rstood that various changes" may be made inits construction by those skilled in 'the"a rt,without departing from the spirit of the" in- "vention 'as defined in theappended claims. 7 H avingfthus de'scribed'our' invention, what We claim ass-eases "to""s'eci1re by-lie'tters Patent is:

1. In a feed mechanism for feeding marginally "punched eases or"she e'ts" into the feed throatofia machine,- a feed "c"l'1u"te adapted dreciyesaim'cards -or 'sheets in stacked f'r ationg'a'reciprocatingfee'd carriage adapted to be recip- "ocatedfrom ajpos'iti'on'belowsaid'fe'ed chute toward and "ayrroni thefreedwhreat ofsaid ma-chine, a vertic'ally machine adapted to be positioned with its bottom edge "s4'aaced*a1 proirirrla'tely thewidth ofone card' from the upper-surface of'said "feed carriage, means to'fo'rce the fforwafd-edgebfthebottomrnostcard in said stack along the' leiigth"there'of'downwardly'againstfsaid feed carriage, said-means comprising a-= plurality of triangularly-shaped '-supportsextending iipwardly from the'upper surface of aidffed -c'arriage with'theirwide'ends'adjacent the rear "dgeof 'saidcariiage,* a constant source of vacuum, slots -="-in the" uppersiirfaceofsaicf'feed carriage continuously o'hne'et'edto fsaid source of'vacuum," apair' of contraa iiigfeedShaftswithin"the' feedfthroat of said machiirm pa'irs ofoppo's ed rollers bnisaidfe'ed shafts, and -slots inthe forwardedge-of said feedcarria'ge in align- "dient witlfr" said ipairs' of"opposedfrollers.

2. Int: feed mechanismlforfeeding"marginally punched cardsofshee'ts-into' thefeed throat of a'machine; a feed 'cliiite' adapted toreceive'said*cafds br'i'shets in stacked elation; a'recip'rocatin'g feed'ca'r'fi'a ge adapted to be recipf rocatd from a"positio1i below saidfe'ed chutetoward and faway fro'mthe feed throat of said.machine,-avertically "'adjustable "bar adjacent the side of said ichute nearest adjtjstahle"baradjacentthesideof saidchute nearest said said machine adapted to be positioned with its bottom edge'spaced approximatelythe-width-of one-card from the upper surface of said feed-carriage, means to force the forward edge of the bottommost card in said stack along the length thereof downwardly against said feed carriage, said means comprising a plurality of triangularly shaped supports extending upwardly from the upper surface of said feed carriage with their wide ends adjacent the rear edge of said carriage, a constant-source of vacuum, slots,

in the upper surface of said feed carriage continuously connected to said source of vacuum, a first pair of contrarotating feed shafts Within thefeed throatof said machine, first pairs of opposed rollers on said first feed shafts, slots in the'forward edge'o'fsaid'feedcarriage in alignment with saidtpairs of'opposed rollers, a second pair of contra-rotating feed shafts spaced inwardly of said machine from said first pair of feed shafts, second pairs of opposed rollers on saidsecond pair of shafts adapted 'saidmachine'adapted to be positioned with its bottom edge spaced approximately the width of one card from the upper surface-of said feed carriage, means toforcethe forward edgeof the*bottommost=card in said-stack along the length thereof'downwardly against said' feed carriage, said means comprisinga plurality of triangularly' shaped supports extending upwardly-from'the upper'surface'of 'said'feed carriage with their wideends'adjacent-therear edge of said carriage, a constant source of vacuum,"slots in-the upper surface of said -feed carriage continuously connected to-said source of vacuum, a pair of contrarbtatingfeed-shafts within the feed throat'vof said machine, pairs of'opposed rollers on said'feed shafts, slots 'in' the forWard edge-of said feed carriage in alignment with said-pairs of opposed rollers, andmeansoperatively connected to theidrive assembly of said machine for rotating-said feed shafts and rollersand for'reciprocating "said feed carriage in synchronism 'withthe-operation of said machine. a

4. In a'fee'd mechanism for-feeding marginally punched cards oi-sheets into the-feed-throat-ofa-machine, afeed chute -adaptd to receive said cards or: sheets instacked r'elation,=a reciprocatingfeed-carriage adapted to be reciprocated from a position below said feed chute toward and awayfrom-the feed throat of said machine, avertically adjustable bar adjacent I the side'iofsaid chute "nearest said machine adapted-to be positionedwith its" bottom edge spaced approitimat'elythe width-of onecard from the upper surface of saidfeed-carriage; means to force the "forward edge of t-he bottommost eard'insaid stack along the length thereof downwardly against said feedcarriage,

said means comprising a plurality of-triangularly shaped supports-extending upwardly fromthe upper surface of said' feed carriage with their-wideends adjacentthe rear I edge ofsaid carriage,-a constant source ofvacuum, -slots-in the'upper surface ofsaid feed-carriage continuously-contnected totsaidz'source of vacuum a first'pair of-contraarotating feed. shaftscwithini'thezfeed :thro'at 'of said: machine,- first pairs. of opposed rollersxonxsaidtiirst feedishafts, slots in the forward edgetzof:. said feedzcarriage:in; alignment with said pairs ofopposedrollers, atsecondpair of contra- ,rotating feedshafts spacedginwardlyitofsaid ,maehinezsfrom said first pair of feed shafts, second pairs of -opposed connected to the drive assembly of said machinerefor rotating saidafeed. shafts and rollers 'andrfor reciprocating 5 5 said feed carriage in synchronism with the operation of 906,827 Staude C- 908 said machine 1,162,658 Schylander NOV. 13, 1915 1,790,910 Frostad Feb. 3, 1931 References Cited in the fil Of hi p 'wfli 2,313,609 Wright Mar. 9, 1943 2,331,533 Bishop Oct. 12, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 750,319 Tarbelt Jan. 26, 1904 

